Ocular surface: what’s new?
Highlights from Laboratoires Théa’s Satellite Education Program, “Ocular Surface: What’s New?” held on October 8, 2015, at the 7th EVER Congress, Nice, France.
Dry eye disease (DED) is a particular burden for both doctor and patient alike. There are three principal reasons behind this: high prevalence (up to 100 million people worldwide are thought to be affected by DED to some degree), many causes (autoimmune, environmental, drug adverse events, and ocular and systemic disease) with multiple forms (principally aqueous-deficient and evaporative). From the ophthalmologist’s perspective, the presence of DED precludes patients from receiving surgery, complicates recovery after surgical procedures, and can present with symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability – leading to patients who are constantly unhappy with how their eyes feel.
DED is frequently characterized by increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface, which without intervention, can ultimately result in permanent damage. Poor eyelid hygiene or impaired function of the meibomian glands can also cause or exacerbate inflammation and ocular surface damage. Because of DED’s many and multifactorial etiologies, there’s a wide range of therapeutic options in use – from lubricants to immunomodulators, and treatment needs to be individualized to each patient. However, it’s clear that DED-induced perturbations in tear film – no matter what the cause – lead to increased inflammation and visual disturbances. This supplement aims to document the issues involved in DED; its causes, its effect on the tear film – and vision – and how this situation can be improved with topical eyedrops containing a bioprotectant like trehalose.
Articles:
A new paradigm in dry eye disease
The MEIBUM survey: a closer look at the eyelids
What is trehalose?
Visual function impairment in dry eye disease
New treatment to improve tear film thickness in dry eye disease
Download the pdf here
I spent seven years as a medical writer, writing primary and review manuscripts, congress presentations and marketing materials for numerous – and mostly German – pharmaceutical companies. Prior to my adventures in medical communications, I was a Wellcome Trust PhD student at the University of Edinburgh.
